Sunday, July 06, 2014

It’s time for my July Secret Recipe Club post and reveal! I have a little thing to tell you—it “secretly” bugs me when the last (or one of the last few) post someone did on their blog is what someone picks for their reveal. That said, here I am, posting one of the last things on my Secret Recipe assignment. I AM happy to see that she has since posted a few more things, so it’s not the very last thing. It just always makes me think that someone didn’t take the time to look throughout the blog to decide what to make. Blah, blah, I know, silly me. Then I saw Sarah at The Pajama Chef recently post these granola bars made with coconut oil (EASY to make gluten free) after I already made something else (the Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cake) and decided I had to make them, too. So you’re getting a twofer again, which I’m sure you don’t mind and I am SO happy to have found TWO recipes that I love!

I really don’t know which one I liked better, the granola bars or the cake. I’m posting the granola bars first because I made them a little healthier (although both are gluten free) so I feel a little better about that. ; ) I LOVE how chewy the granola bars are and that they are not baked—no turning on the oven in this hot, summer sun for these! I used gluten free oats, organic brown rice crisp cereal, raw honey and coconut sugar instead of brown sugar. Yep, these are health food. I love the caramel-flavor from the honey and coconut sugar. Actually, I love the chewy texture it gave to these bars as well!

Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with nonstick foil. Put the rice cereal, oats, flax, pecans, sunflower seeds and salt in a large bowl. Put the honey and coconut sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-low head. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in the coconut oil and peanut butter until well combined. Whisk in the vanilla. Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients and stir to coat everything evenly. Press into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top, then put waxed paper or parchment paper over the top and press it down evenly. Leave the paper on as a cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Remove from pan and cut into bars on a cutting board. Store in an airtight container (for up to 3-5 days) or keep refrigerated or freeze some for later (individually wrapped in an airtight container).

These are so good! But like I mentioned, I’d already made a cake from Sarah’s blog that I was going to share. So here you go. Another delicious recipe.

Sarah’s recipe for the Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cake is delicious, I’m sure, but so I could have some, I made it gluten free. Since I wasn’t sure how it would turn out, I halved her recipe and made the cake in an 8x8 inch pan. Delicious! I wish I wouldn’t have halved it except that I would have eaten a whole cake (not all in one sitting, but still). I didn’t feel nearly as guilty knowing I ate an 8x8 inch cake over a number of days rather than a 9x13, but this cake would be great for company. Dare I say, it would even be a great breakfast/coffee cake. I MIGHT have eaten some for breakfast one day. It was great for on-the-go, which I was one day after I’d made it, instead of making my usual oatmeal or smoothie. Check out Sarah’s recipe on the link above! Here’s my gluten free, coconut oil version.

3/4 cup apples, peeled and chopped (1 small-medium apple), I used Red Delicious because that’s what I had

Cinnamon Sugar Topping:

1/4 cup organic cane sugar

heaping 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 tablespoon coconut oil

1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Brush coconut oil in an 8x8 inch baking pan (I often just use my fingers). In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, oil, egg, buttermilk and vanilla. Whisk together well. Stir in the baking soda, salt and gluten free flour. Add the chopped apples and fold in with a spatula. Pour batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon and coconut oil. Mix together with a fork until all the mixture is like wet sand. Stir in the chopped walnuts. Sprinkle evenly over cake. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature.

I really loved this cake. I will say, it was a little sweet for me. I think it’s just because I’m not used to sugar being sprinkled on something anymore. Next time, I think I’ll use only about half as much topping and I might even try coconut sugar, which has a lower glycemic index and is unrefined. While I like to make myself think organic and cane sugar is unrefined, I know it’s not and is still basically refined. So every now and then I use it, but not very often.

I think this cake worked so well making it gluten free that I’m going to try it with blueberries instead of apple—ASAP! Doesn’t that sound good? Yeah, that will be happening by tomorrow! Thanks for the great recipes and blog, Sarah! Check out her blog, The Pajama Chef, for more deliciousness!

Ha, the first post in the linky this morning was for the person who had my blog this month and I wasn't sure it wasn't you until I clicked...but I knew it was my recipe. Then I came back and looked again and I saw the granola bars and I "knew" this was your post. I feel like I know you so well that I can pick your posts out with no trouble ever! These granola bars look and sound amazing missy!

I just made the granola bars from Sarah's blog too - so good! I do have coconut sugar but didn't think to use it - so cool to have them completely free of refined sugar. That apple cake has been on my "to make" list for a long time - thanks for the reminder. Well done turning it into a gluten-free success!

I know that Cinn-Sugar Apple cake is fantastic, I made it for last months reveal :) BTW I had your blog this month (finally) and I tried out your Cranberry Almond Date Balls - they are sooooo good. Thanks for the inspiration.

thanks for making two recipes, katrina! so glad you liked them both. :) i made another batch of those granola bars on sunday, with peanuts & butterscotch chips. they're the best! love your adaptations. :)

I made the apple cake and it was delicious! I used coconut sugar & made buttermilk using almond milk. I agree with you that it was a little too sweet & next time I'd cut down on the sugar in the topping & maybe add more walnuts. Next up - the granola bars!

Anonymous--I made with apple cake with blueberries yesterday, like I mentioned trying. And I did use coconut sugar and less of it. It's still plenty sweet and was good! What did you do for the buttermilk (add vinegar/lemon to the almond milk?) I would love to do that, too. Thanks!

I used vinegar - I forgot to get a lemon at the store! - and unsweetened vanilla almond milk. I 'think' it worked out fine - it looked a little curdled, but according to the site I saw it on, that was to be expected. Did you use any lemon zest with the blueberry version? That sounds really good! My cake wasn't very thick - is that how it's supposed to be? Thanks again for a great site with terrific recipes :-)